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Sustainability Challenge Day 4
September 22, 2020
We the People…
Today is National Voter Registration Day! As we mentioned on Day 1, this challenge is going to be about more than just small actions like giving up plastic straws, which won’t be enough to keep the planet livable. The larger actions have to happen at the government and corporate levels. And as you’ve probably realized, we need representatives who will make those changes a priority.
You may be thinking: “I always vote, but my vote doesn’t matter much because of where I live.” You may also be aware that climate change rarely makes the list of issues that voters cite as their reason to vote. There is hope: research shows that a lot of people care about climate change, but they often don’t vote. However, there are ways to motivate them, and that’s where you come in.
To Do Right Now: Register
Before we worry about other people voting, we need to make sure we ourselves are registered to vote. As long as you have a NYS driver license, permit or non-driver ID, you can register to vote online. If you prefer the mail, you have until October 9 to postmark a mail-in application or you can apply in-person by October 14, 2020. This is also the deadline to change your address.
Not a New York State resident? You can find how to register in other states here.
I’m Registered, Now What?
If you are worried about COVID or want to ensure your vote is counted on November 3, you can request an absentee ballot or participate in early voting.
To decide who to vote for, you can explore the presidential candidates’ energy and environmental platforms. The League of Conservation Voters provides a scorecard where you can look up how your members of Congress voted on environmental proposals. What about local races? You can find out who will be on your ballot (note- you can skip giving your email address), and then click on those candidates to find out more, including how to contact their office. If they haven’t taken positions on environmental policies, call their office and ask what they are doing/plan to do to make climate change a policy priority.
To decide who to vote for, you can explore the presidential candidates’ energy and environmental platforms. The League of Conservation Voters provides a scorecard where you can look up how your members of Congress voted on environmental proposals. What about local races? You can find out who will be on your ballot (note- you can skip giving your email address), and then click on those candidates to find out more, including how to contact their office. If they haven’t taken positions on environmental policies, call their office and ask what they are doing/plan to do to make climate change a policy priority.
Big Step: Get Others to Vote
Pledge to ask at least one person today if they are registered to vote.
You probably have a friend on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram (or if you’re like me, in your old-fashioned address book) who lives in a swing state. Once you’ve explored the national platforms, share your views (and information on how to register to vote) with them.
Studies show that receiving a personal letter makes it more likely that a person will vote, so dust off that stationery in your desk drawer and send a few notes! With everyone craving connections right now, your old friends will probably appreciate it!
You probably have a friend on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram (or if you’re like me, in your old-fashioned address book) who lives in a swing state. Once you’ve explored the national platforms, share your views (and information on how to register to vote) with them.
Studies show that receiving a personal letter makes it more likely that a person will vote, so dust off that stationery in your desk drawer and send a few notes! With everyone craving connections right now, your old friends will probably appreciate it!
One Last Important Step…
If you haven’t already, please take a minute to fill out the 2020 Census! The census impacts how much our communities receive for everything from public transportation to wildlife conservation.
“We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” – Thomas Jefferson
A Look Ahead:
Tomorrow we cozy up to sustainability…